Five Ways to Engage the New Consumer Brain

5 Ways to Engage the New Consumer Brain

A look into the human brain reveals why, as consumers and brands, we do what we do.

1. Emotional Storytelling

Storytelling is processed through seven different areas of the brain, while data and facts only reach two. Neural coupling is another aspect of emotional storytelling; when consumers hear a story, they’re able to relate and turn it into their own ideas, which fuels emotions and releases dopamine, creating a memorable experience.

2. Hands-on, Personalized Experiences

Take Chipotle as an example, consumers want to have the control and the ability to personalize a product to a T. Experiential activations like festivals, pop-up shops, and influencer events activate different senses in your brain by forming hands-on experiences, incorporating brands consumers are already interested in, which increases memorability, engagement and shareability.

3. Brand Identity or Bust

Consumers have an eight-second attention span, according to Microsoft. Therefore, you get eight seconds to sell your brand to the consumer. In addition, 93 percent of human communication transmitted is visual. Because of this, it’s more important than ever to have a clear, visual message. It’s essential for brands to immediately identify who they are and what they can offer to the consumer by establishing keywords, colors, and a compelling logo.

4. Virtual Assistants

Brands should also embrace voice recognition, self-service and virtual assistant technology, offering a user experience like Alexa or Siri, which caters to the consumer’s every need. Even in an online space, users want the ability to have information available at their fingertips, like going through an FAQ page or chatbot rather than personally calling for more information. According to Aberdeen, companies with self-service technology have an 85 percent increase in customer retention.

5. Influencer Decision Making

The frontal lobe of the brain is where rationalization, judgment and decision making come into play. In 2018, consumers can expect to form these decisions based off of social media, YouTube, bloggers and thought leadership influencers. The brain is able to rationalize the fact that these influencers are consumers themselves; therefore they trust and identify with them more than a digital ad or billboard. Influencers create a sense of authenticity that strikes emotions with followers, causing a brand interaction to occur.

Emily Rhodes – Emily lives by the mantra, "find joy in the journey." Growing up, she moved every four years of her life, making her appreciate the ar…MORE